Okay, so you’re thinking about it. Maybe it’s Botox. Maybe it’s the laser. Maybe you just want that to glow back without spending a fortune on serums that don’t work. I got it. I’ve been there.
Living in Largo, we’ve got options. You drive down Ulmerton or East Bay, and you see the signs. New spots pop up all the time. They all look cute outside. But picking the wrong one? Yeah, that’s a headache you don’t want. I made some mistakes early on, so you don’t have to. If you are looking for a solid largo clinic that knows what they are doing, you must ask for the right stuff before they even pull out a needle.
Here is the real talk. The stuff they don’t put on the websites.
1. “So… Who is the person doing this exactly?”
This is the big one. You walk into a med spa, and everyone has a white coat on. It looks official. But you need to dig deeper. Is this person a nurse? A doctor’s assistant? An aesthetician?
I went to a place once and the girl doing my consult was super sweet, but when I asked how long she had been injecting, she kind of danced around it. Red flag. You want someone who does this all day, every day. You want someone who knows where the nerves are. Because if they hit a nerve? Ouch. Or worse. So just ask. A good place will tell you right away. “Oh, Sarah is our NP, she has ten years’ experience.” If they hesitate, thank them for their time and leave.
2. “What happens if it looks bad?”
Sounds harsh, right? But seriously. Let’s say you get a filler and it’s lumpy. Or you get a laser and it leaves a mark. It happens. Rarely, but it happens.
You need to know their policy. Do they fix it for free? Do they charge you again? Do they even know how to fix it? I was reading about a spot in town the other day, and someone left a review saying the staff talked their friend out of getting something done because she didn’t need it. That blew my mind. Honesty like that is rare. You want a place that cares about your face looking right, not just about selling you the most expensive thing on the menu.
3. “Can you show me someone who looks like me?”
We’ve all seen the Instagram photos. Perfect skin. Perfect lighting. Models. That’s marketing. That’s not real life.
Ask to see their work on real people. People with pores. People with sun damage (we live in Florida; we all have it). People who are our age. If they have a portfolio on their phone, it’s great. If they get all weird and say, “privacy policy” and can’t show you anything, that’s a bit of a yellow flag. I get privacy, but most people sign waivers. They should have something to show you, so you know what they are capable of.
4. “Okay, be real with me. How much is this gonna hurt and how long until I look normal?”
I hate it when people say, “it’s just a pinch.” No. Some things sting. Some things burn a little. Just tell me the truth.
Also, the downtime. In Largo, we are outside. We go to the beach. We sweat. If I get laser treatment, am I going to look like a tomato for a week? Do I have to hide from the sun? (The answer to that last one is always yes. Sunscreen is your best friend after these treatments.) A good nurse will give you an honest breakdown. “You’ll be red for a day, flaky for three, don’t wear makeup for 24 hours.” Simple. Clear. If they say, “oh, you’ll be fine tomorrow,” they are lying.
5. “What’s the catch with the price?”
Look, we all want a deal. But aesthetic treatments are one of those things where “cheap” usually isn’t “good.” If the price is way lower than everywhere else in Largo, you must wonder why.
Are they using expired products? Is it a trainee doing the work? Are they diluting it? Ask them what is included in the price. Is the consultation free? Do they charge numbing cream? Do they have a membership that actually saves you money? Just get it all out on the table before you hand over your credit card.
Just take your time.
There is no rush. The med spa will still be there next week. Find a place where you feel comfortable, where they answer your dumb questions without rolling their eyes, and where you trust the person holding the laser. Your face is worth the extra twenty minutes of asking questions. Trust me.
